Widespread vitamin D deficiency and its gender-specific association with adiposity in Chinese children and adolescents

Abstract Objective Vitamin D is involved in various physiologic and pathologic processes in the human body. Aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and associations of adiposity indicators with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) in Chinese children and adolescents. Research Methods & Procedures A population-based, nationwide and multicenter cross-sectional study involving 10,696 pediatric participants (51.2% boys) aged 6-18 years. Total body fat mass was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and measures of body mass index (BMI), fat mass index (FMI), fat mass percentage (FMP), and plasma 25(OH)D concentrations were obtained. Results The adjusted mean of 25(OH)D was 39.3 nmol/L in all participants, 40.7 nmol/L in boys and 37.9 nmol/L in girls, respectively. Thirty percent of children had vitamin D deficiency (25[OH]D Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency was widespread and its gender-specific association with an excess of body fat in Chinese children and adolescents. Our findings indicate that targeted screening and treatment guidelines may be useful.